Estimating Young's modulus of zona pellucida by micropipette aspiration in combination with theoretical models of ovum

The zona pellucida (ZP) is the spherical layer that surrounds the mammalian oocyte. The physical hardness of this layer plays a crucial role in fertilization and is largely unknown because of the lack of appropriate measuring and modelling methods. The aim of this study is to measure the biomechanical properties of the ZP of human/mouse ovum and to test the hypothesis that Young''s modulus of the ZP varies with fertilization. Young''s moduli of ZP are determined before and after fertilization by using the micropipette aspiration technique, coupled with theoretical models of the oocyte as an elastic incompressible half-space (half-space model), an elastic compressible bilayer (layered model) or an elastic compressible shell (shell model). Comparison of the models shows that incorporation of the layered geometry of the ovum and the compressibility of the ZP in the layered and shell models may provide a means of more accurately characterizing ZP elasticity. Evaluation of results shows that although the results of the models are different, all confirm that the hardening of ZP will increase following fertilization. As can be seen, different choices of models and experimental parameters can affect the interpretation of experimental data and lead to differing mechanical properties.     

林蛙油对冷应激小鼠抗氧化能力的影响

研究林蛙油对冷应激小鼠抗氧化能力的影响,为林蛙油的合理开发和利用提供依据。本实验将40 只雄性昆明品系小鼠随机分为4 组：对照组、冷应激组、林蛙油5 倍剂量组和25 倍剂量组,每组10 只。对照组和冷应激组灌胃生理盐水,5 倍剂量组和25 倍剂量组灌不同剂量的林蛙油,每组连续灌胃28d。灌胃到第15 天,每天除对照组灌胃后置室温外,其他各组灌胃30min 后,置－ 10℃冰箱30min,连续14d,杀鼠,测血清和脑组织中超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性和丙二醛(MDA)含量。结果表明,林蛙油可以增加小鼠血和脑组织中SOD 活性(p ＜ 0.01),降低MDA 含量(p ＜ 0.01),在低温条件下林蛙油能增强小鼠抗氧化能力。     

林蛙卵油脂肪酸组分的分析研究

林蛙卵经石油醚和超临界CO2流体萃取得到林蛙卵油。把林蛙卵油甲酯化,用石英毛细管色谱/质谱法测定其脂肪酸组分。采用石油醚方法萃取得到的林蛙卵油分离出19种组分,不饱和脂肪酸含量为72.38%;采用超临界CO2流体萃取得到的林蛙卵油分离出26种组分,不饱和脂肪酸含量为69.65%。研究结果表明:两种方式获得的林蛙卵油脂肪酸主要组分及含量基本一致,均由C12-22脂肪酸组成,主要不饱和脂肪酸是十六碳烯酸、亚油酸、油酸、EPA(二十碳五烯酸)、DHA(二十二碳六烯酸)等。     

海参卵中类胡萝卜素提取条件的优化

采用有机溶剂浸提法,通过单因素试验结合正交试验,对海参卵中类胡萝卜素的提取条件进行了优化。结果表明,在以乙酸乙酯为提取溶剂、二次提取,提取温度40℃,提取时间3h,料液比1∶12的提取条件下,可以达到最优提取,类胡萝卜素质量分数可达63.20μg/g。     

基于新型特征提取的寄生虫卵图像识别研究

讨论了用支持向量机进行多分类的若干学习策略,提出了一种新型图像特征提取方法,以此来实现对鞭虫等九种寄生虫卵图像自动识别和分类,平均识别率优于传统神经网络,达到了93.9%,为寄生虫卵图像识别提供了一种新方法。     

Pb2+、Cu2+在黄颡鱼性腺中的富集及其对性腺发育的胁迫

研究Pb2+、Cu2+在其不同质量浓度(0.10 mg/L、0.25 mg/L、0.50 mg/L)情况下在黄颡鱼性腺中的富集特性以及对性腺发育的影响。结果表明,黄颡鱼性腺(卵巢)对Pb2+、Cu2+有较强的富集能力,在暴露期间的20—30 d内,Pb2+、Cu2+在性腺内的富集量分别与时间呈线性关系,之后呈对数关系。其中,Cu2+的富集显著大于Pb2+(P<0.01);性腺中的重金属富集与水溶液中Pb2+、Cu2+的浓度相关(P<0.01),具有明显的时间效应和剂量效应。黄颡鱼性腺细胞的发育水平,亦与溶液Pb2+、Cu2+的浓度与暴露时间相关。     

Optimised condition for preparing sea cucumber ovum hydrolysate–calcium complex and its structural analysis

This study aimed to determine optimum preparation conditions of sea cucumber ovum hydrolysates–calcium (SCOHs–Ca) complexes by Box–Behnken design and further elucidate their microstructure characteristics using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, atomic force microscopy and dynamic light scattering. The predicted calcium‐chelating capacity under the optimum conditions of the process variables was very close to the experimental value (53.45 ± 0.29 mg g^?1) determined in the batch experiment. Results demonstrated that the calcium bind to the SCOHs to form the SCOHs–Ca complexes primarily via interactions with carboxyl oxygen and amino nitrogen atoms. The prepared SCOHs–Ca complexes formed compact nanoparticles and exhibited a fold and porous network structure. These changes could be attributed to the interaction between peptides and calcium ions. Our findings provide a theoretical basis for the development of new calcium preparations as well as the high‐value utilisation of sea cucumber by‐products.     

海参内脏的活性成分、保健功能与开发研究进展

海参作为中国的传统补品,具有增强免疫力、抗肿瘤、抗病毒、养颜美容等作用。海参的主要食用部位为海参体壁,因此对海参的研究也多聚焦在海参体壁活性物质上。海参加工中的副产物海参内脏则多被废弃,利用率低,国内外对其研究也较少,已开发的相关产品更是微乎其微。然而海参内脏除含有与体壁相似的化学成分外,还富含牛磺酸、精氨酸、磷脂、不饱和脂肪酸以及各种高活性微量元素、色素、活性酶和功能菌,海参内脏的食用价值和药用价值在一定范围内高于海参体壁。目前对海参内脏活性物质认识的缺乏和忽视,已造成资源严重浪费和流失。基于希望对天然资源的充分合理利用,对海参内脏具有的化学成分、生物活性以及活性物质的提取分离进行介绍,为海参内脏相关食品、保健品和新药的研究与开发提供依据。     

Genetic merit for fertility traits in Holstein cows: VI. Oocyte developmental competence and embryo development

The hypothesis of this study was that cows with good genetic merit for fertility traits (Fert+) would produce oocytes and embryos of greater quality than cows with poor genetic merit for fertility traits (Fert?) and that mRNA expression of candidate genes would reflect the observed differences in quality. The aim of the study, therefore, was to determine the effect of genetic merit for fertility traits on morphological classification and mRNA abundance of key genes in immature oocytes and cumulus cells following ovum pick-up and in embryos following superovulation, artificial insemination (AI), and uterine flushing. In experiment 1, 17 Fert+ and 11 Fert? cows, ranging from 54 to 84 d in milk, were submitted to ovum pick-up on 4 occasions during a 2-wk period. Recovered cumulus–oocyte complexes (COC) were morphologically graded. Oocytes and cumulus cells were separated, and mRNA abundance of genes associated with oocyte developmental competence was measured. There was no effect of genotype on the distribution of COC grades or on the mRNA abundance of the candidate genes in grade 1 COC. In experiment 2, 20 Fert+ and 19 Fert? cows, ranging from 71 to 189 d in milk, were submitted to superovulation and AI. The uteri of cows that responded to the superovulation protocol (17 Fert+ and 16 Fert? cows) were nonsurgically flushed 7 d postovulation. Recovered embryos were morphologically graded, and mRNA abundance of genes associated with embryo development was measured in grade 1 blastocysts. The response to the superovulation protocol was assessed by counting the number of codominant follicles on the day of AI, which was similar for both genotypes (22.0 ± 9.7 and 19.8 ± 8.2 for Fert+ and Fert? cows, respectively). There was no effect of genotype on the proportion of transferable embryos recovered or on the mRNA abundance of the candidate genes tested in the grade 1 blastocysts. Of the total embryos classified as blastocysts, however, the Fert+ cows tended to have a greater proportion of grade 1 blastocysts compared with Fert? cows (90% vs. 64%, respectively). In conclusion, genetic merit for fertility traits had a no effect on mRNA abundance of the candidate genes that were examined in immature oocytes and cumulus cells and in embryos recovered after superovulation. The observed differences in morphological blastocyst quality following superovulation would suggest that the superior reproductive performance of Fert+ cows could arise during the later stages of embryo development from d 7 until maternal recognition of pregnancy.     

Estimating variance components and breeding values for number of oocytes and number of embryos in dairy cattle using a single-step genomic evaluation

Reproductive technologies such as multiple ovulation and embryo transfer (MOET) and ovum pick-up (OPU) accelerate genetic improvement in dairy breeding schemes. To enhance the efficiency of embryo production, breeding values for traits such as number of oocytes (NoO) and number of MOET embryos (NoM) can help in selection of donors with high MOET or OPU efficiency. The aim of this study was therefore to estimate variance components and (genomic) breeding values for NoO and NoM based on Dutch Holstein data. Furthermore, a 10-fold cross-validation was carried out to assess the accuracy of pedigree and genomic breeding values for NoO and NoM. For NoO, 40,734 OPU sessions between 1993 and 2015 were analyzed. These OPU sessions originated from 2,543 donors, from which 1,144 were genotyped. For NoM, 35,695 sessions between 1994 and 2015 were analyzed. These MOET sessions originated from 13,868 donors, from which 3,716 were genotyped. Analyses were done using only pedigree information and using a single-step genomic BLUP (ssGBLUP) approach combining genomic information and pedigree information. Heritabilities were very similar based on pedigree information or based on ssGBLUP [i.e., 0.32 (standard error = 0.03) for NoO and 0.21 (standard error = 0.01) for NoM with pedigree, 0.31 (standard error = 0.03) for NoO, and 0.22 (standard error = 0.01) for NoM with ssGBLUP]. For animals without their own information as mimicked in the cross-validation, the accuracy of pedigree-based breeding values was 0.46 for NoO and NoM. The accuracies of genomic breeding values from ssGBLUP were 0.54 for NoO and 0.52 for NoM. These results show that including genomic information increases the accuracies. These moderate accuracies in combination with a large genetic variance show good opportunities for selection of potential bull dams.